Latest KFF Health News Stories
What Consumers Need To Know About The Obama Plan For Canceled Health Policies
Under the president’s plan, insurers will be permitted to extend this year’s policies into next year, but it’s far from clear that insurers will want to follow through. Some state regulators may not even let them.
Oregon Shines On Medicaid, As Texas Stalls On Sign-Ups
In Oregon, the online health marketplace isn’t working for people looking to buy individual policies. But the state has been rapidly expanding Medicaid anyway. In Texas, insurance helpers may face state regulations that would make it even harder to assist people seeking coverage.
Methodology: How Value Based Purchasing Payments Are Calculated
The Kaiser Health News story and data on Medicare’s quality payment programs are based on data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) containing the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing and Readmissions Reduction Program adjustment factors for individual hospitals.
Nearly 1,500 Hospitals Penalized Under Medicare Program Rating Quality
The hospitals were rated on two-dozen measures, including surveys of patient satisfaction and death rates.
By State: Hospital Quality Bonuses And Penalties
Medicare gives hospitals bonuses and penalties based on how well they performed on 24 quality measures. This chart shows the average effect by state on hospitals’ Medicare payments during the second year of the program.
Interactive Chart: Bonuses And Penalties For U.S. Hospitals
This chart shows the payment adjustments for each hospital and how they compared to the bonuses and penalties from last year.
Obama: Insurers Can Extend Canceled Policies Into 2014
Video: President Obama announced Thursday that insurers will be permitted to extend canceled insurance policies into 2014, due to the difficulties consumers are having enrolling in new insurance coverage through the new online marketplaces.
Supporters and opponents of the federal health law still can’t decide whether to call it the “woodwork” or “welcome mat” effect — the millions of people currently eligible for Medicaid who are not enrolled and who are expected to sign up as a result of the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration’s first enrollment report released […]
Video: Health Law Offers Help For Many With Chronic Illness
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey once again joined PBS NewsHour to discuss the implementation of the 2010 health law. Wednesday night’s program focused on what the law means for consumers with preexisting health conditions. Watch the report in the video player above.
California Bright Spot In Obamacare, Makes Up One-Third Of All Marketplace Enrollees
Nearly 60,000 Californians have enrolled in insurance plans under the nation’s health law since its launch on Oct. 1, officials from the state’s marketplace announced Wednesday. Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee said the early numbers exceeded his expectations. “We’re very pleased with the momentum,” he said. “Consumers are doing their shopping … They are […]
Will Low Online Enrollments In The Fall Hobble The Health Law?
Numbers released by the government Wednesday deepened doubts about the law’s immediate viability, and proposed fixes have shortcomings.
Strange Pricing Details Can Bedevil Medicare Beneficiaries
Pharmacist Gina Upchurch knows all the ins and outs of the Medicare prescription drug benefit and was sure she discovered something very wrong: using the government’s online plan finder tool to help seniors compare dozens of 2014 drug policies, she noticed that some insurers charge higher prices for a prescription filled every two or three months […]
FAQ: Grandfathered Health Plans
If you get your insurance from your employer, there’s a very good chance that you are in a “grandfathered plan,” and that means some of the provisions of the health law do not apply to you – yet.
Why Some People Can’t Keep Their Insurance Plans
On PBS NewsHour Tuesday, KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey discussed why insurers are canceling many individual insurance policies, the political fallout and what options consumers have for finding affordable insurance plans. Watch the report in the video player above.
Medicaid Chief Thanks State Leaders, Even As They Skip Expansion Option
It wasn’t all hugs and kisses, but the nation’s top Medicaid official on Tuesday told Medicaid directors from around the country that she was proud of the job they were all doing — even though half of their states opted against expanding the state-federal health insurance program for the poor under the health law. “Hats off […]
Medicaid Questions Delay Some Health Insurance Purchases In Colorado
Some say Colorado Medicaid has hampered the state’s private insurance enrollment efforts.
Emails Ask Those Who Failed To Try Healthcare.gov Again
Roughly 275,000 “come back, we miss you” emails will be sent in waves this week encouraging consumers who couldn’t create an account or log-in to the malfunctioning Healthcare.gov website to try again, officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said Tuesday. The announcement comes as the agency is working to meet a self-imposed […]
Kids’ Dental Coverage Uncertain Under Obamacare
Provisions in the fine print of the Affordable Care Act could prevent some children from receiving dental coverage.
Prevention Programs For People Without Insurance Still Play Key Role
Although the health law could expand coverage to millions, many low-income people and others will not have insurance and will still have to rely on these programs for preventive care.
Washington State To 8,000 Obamacare Enrollees: We Goofed On Cost Estimate
This story was produced in partnership with About 8,000 Washington residents will soon receive letters informing them that the price they are expecting to pay for health insurance purchased on the new online exchange marketplace is incorrect. The letters are part of an effort by the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, which operates the exchange, to […]